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How USS Tang Was Destroyed by Its Own Torpedo in World War II
USS Tang was one of the most successful American submarines of World War II, commanded by Richard H. O’Kane during the U.S. Navy’s campaign against Japanese shipping. On her fifth and final patrol in October 1944, Tang attacked enemy vessels in the Formosa Strait before a malfunctioning torpedo circled back and struck the submarine that had launched it.
This documentary follows Tang’s combat record, the aggressive tactics that made her so effective, and the disaster that ended her final patrol. It examines the technical failure behind the torpedo’s circular run, O’Kane’s leadership, the crew’s desperate struggle to escape, and the fate of the survivors who became prisoners of war. USS Tang remains one of World War II’s most respected and tragic submarine stories because it combines success, risk, mechanical failure, and survival under extreme conditions.
USS Tang was one of the most successful American submarines of World War II, commanded by Richard H. O’Kane during the U.S. Navy’s campaign against Japanese shipping. On her fifth and final patrol in October 1944, Tang attacked enemy vessels in the Formosa Strait before a malfunctioning torpedo circled back and struck the submarine that had launched it.
This documentary follows Tang’s combat record, the aggressive tactics that made her so effective, and the disaster that ended her final patrol. It examines the technical failure behind the torpedo’s circular run, O’Kane’s leadership, the crew’s desperate struggle to escape, and the fate of the survivors who became prisoners of war. USS Tang remains one of World War II’s most respected and tragic submarine stories because it combines success, risk, mechanical failure, and survival under extreme conditions.
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00:00The ocean was almost perfectly calm. On the surface, beneath a moonless sky in the Formosa
00:06Strait, one of America's most successful submarines was carrying out another attack,
00:11exactly as her crew had done so many times before. The enemy convoy was already in chaos.
00:17Explosions burned across the dark horizon, Japanese ships were turning desperately,
00:22their searchlights sweeping across empty stretches of sea, trying to find an attacker
00:27that always seemed to appear where it was least expected. Aboard USS Tang, the attack was not over
00:34yet. Another torpedo slid from its tube and disappeared into the darkness. Nothing seemed
00:40unusual. The submarine continued her turn, preparing to reposition for whatever came next.
00:46The crew had every reason to believe the weapon was racing toward another Japanese target.
00:51It was a sequence they had rehearsed countless times, refined through months of combat,
00:56discipline, and experience. Then, someone noticed something impossible. The torpedo's wake was no
01:03longer moving away from the submarine. It was bending. Instead of driving toward the enemy,
01:08the white trail carved a widening arc across the black water. Every second made the danger clearer.
01:14The torpedo was turning back. In that instant, the hunter became the hunted. There were only moments
01:21to react. A submarine on the surface had little room to maneuver, and no amount of courage or experience
01:27could change the laws of physics once a malfunctioning weapon began circling toward its point of origin.
01:33How could one of the finest crews in the United States Navy find itself fighting its own torpedo
01:38instead of the enemy? To answer that question, we have to go back to the beginning. Before the final patrol,
01:45before the explosions, before a single malfunction transformed one of the greatest submarine success
01:51stories of the Pacific War into one of its greatest tragedies. USS Tang entered service in the summer of
01:581943, during a period when the submarine campaign in the Pacific was becoming one of America's most
02:05effective weapons against Imperial Japan. Built as a Gato-class submarine, Tang belonged to a design that
02:12balanced long-range endurance with offensive power. These boats could travel thousands of miles across
02:18the Pacific, remain hidden beneath the waves for extended periods, and strike enemy shipping far
02:23beyond the reach of most surface forces. But a submarine was only as capable as the people who sailed her.
02:30Steel, engines, and torpedoes meant little without a crew able to operate under relentless pressure,
02:36often isolated for weeks at a time, knowing that a single mistake beneath the sea could leave no
02:41opportunity for rescue. The man chosen to lead Tang understood those dangers better than most.
02:47Commander Richard Hetherington O'Kane had already earned a reputation as one of the Navy's most
02:52skilled submarine officers. Before receiving his own command, he had served as executive officer
02:59aboard USS Wahoo under the bold and unconventional Commander Dudley, Mush Morton. Together,
03:06they helped redefine how American submarines fought in the Pacific. Early in the war, many submarine
03:13commanders had operated cautiously. Torpedo reliability problems, uncertain intelligence,
03:19and conservative tactics limited their success. Morton believed those habits had to change. He favored
03:25aggressive attacks, close approaches, and exploiting darkness whenever possible. O'Kane watched
03:32these methods first-hand, learning not only when to take risks, but also how careful preparation could
03:38make bold decisions succeed. Those experiences shaped the kind of commander he would become.
03:44When O'Kane took command of Tang, he did not seek reckless heroics. He demanded precision. Every
03:50member of the crew was expected to know his responsibilities instinctively. Drills became routine. Procedures
03:57were refined again and again until reactions became automatic. In combat, hesitation could cost lives,
04:04so confidence had to be earned long before the submarine ever sighted an enemy ship.
04:10Life aboard Tang reflected that philosophy. The submarine was crowded, hot, and rarely comfortable.
04:16Men slept wherever space became available, machinery ran almost constantly, and long patrols created a
04:23rhythm where exhaustion and routine existed side by side. Yet beneath those difficult conditions grew
04:29an extraordinary level of trust. Every successful dive, every surface battery charge after dark,
04:36every torpedo fired accurately reinforced the belief that each sailor could depend completely on the men
04:43around him. That confidence soon translated into remarkable results. Patrol after patrol, Tang struck Japanese
04:52shipping with growing effectiveness. Convoys that believed themselves protected by escorts suddenly found
04:58torpedoes appearing from unexpected directions. O'Kane constantly adapted his tactics to changing
05:05situations, exploiting darkness, radar, and careful positioning to attack where the enemy felt safest.
05:12His crew executed those plans with speed and discipline, often leaving Japanese commanders uncertain about
05:18how many submarines they were actually facing. Success created a powerful reputation. Among American
05:25submarineers, Tang became known as an exceptionally aggressive and efficient boat. Her growing list of
05:31victories placed her among the most successful submarines in the Pacific, while O'Kane himself earned
05:37increasing respect throughout the silent service for combining daring with disciplined command.
05:43With every patrol completed, confidence grew stronger. The crew had survived dangerous waters, determined escorts,
05:50and countless moments where discovery could have meant destruction. Experience became reassurance. Their
05:58submarine seemed capable of overcoming almost any obstacle the Pacific could present. By the autumn of 1944, USS Tang prepared
06:07to leave once again.
06:09Her destination would be one of the busiest and most dangerous shipping routes remaining under Japanese
06:14control. It would become her fifth war patrol. Neither Richard O'Kane nor the men serving beside him could know
06:22that
06:22they were about to write the final chapter of Tang's remarkable story. By October 1944, the Pacific War had entered
06:31a
06:31decisive phase. American forces were advancing across the ocean faster than Japanese planners had believed possible.
06:38The Mariana Islands had fallen. Long-range B-29 bombers were beginning to threaten the Japanese home islands,
06:46and General Douglas MacArthur had returned to the Philippines. Every convoy carrying fuel, ammunition, food, or
06:53reinforcements had become more important than ever before. Japan still possessed powerful warships and determined
07:00fighting forces, but every victory depended on supplies reaching the front. Those supplies had to travel by sea.
07:08That was exactly where America's submarine force had become most dangerous. Early in the war,
07:15American submarines had struggled with unreliable torpedoes, cautious doctrine, and difficult operating
07:21conditions. But by late 1944, many of those problems had been overcome. Improvements to torpedo reliability,
07:30combined with experienced commanders who had learned through years of combat, transformed the silent
07:35service into one of the most effective weapons in the Pacific. Although submarines represented only a small
07:41fraction of the U.S. Navy, they inflicted a disproportionate amount of damage on Japanese merchant shipping.
07:48Tankers carrying desperately needed fuel disappeared beneath the waves. Cargo vessels loaded with food
07:54and ammunition never reached their destinations. Troop transports vanished before soldiers could
08:00reinforce isolated garrisons. Every successful patrol tightened the economic blockade surrounding Japan.
08:07For crews like Tang's, success also created new expectations. Submarine commanders who consistently produced
08:14results were often assigned increasingly difficult patrol areas. Places that other boats might avoid became
08:21opportunities for experienced crews willing to accept greater risks in exchange for greater rewards.
08:27Few areas were more dangerous than the waters surrounding the Formosa Strait. Stretching between Formosa,
08:34modern-day Taiwan, and the Chinese mainland, the strait served as one of Japan's most important shipping
08:40corridors. Merchant vessels, military transports, and naval escorts all passed through these waters as
08:47they moved between the Japanese home islands, Southeast Asia, and the battlefields farther south.
08:52The traffic was heavy. So was the protection. Destroyers, escort ships, patrol craft, and aircraft
08:59constantly searched for American submarines. Convoys rarely traveled alone, and Japanese anti-submarine
09:06tactics had improved considerably since the opening years of the war. Searchlights swept across the
09:11darkness at night. Sonar operators listened for the faintest underwater sound. Depth charges waited
09:18aboard escort vessels ready to be released at the first sign of contact. For an American submarine,
09:23every attack carried the possibility of becoming the hunted instead of the hunter. Yet, those same dangers
09:30created opportunity. Where shipping concentrated, targets multiplied. Richard O'Kane understood that
09:38balance better than most commanders. Avoiding danger entirely might preserve his submarine,
09:44but it would also allow valuable enemy shipping to continue moving unhindered. The mission demanded
09:49calculated aggression. Tang entered the Formosa Strait knowing exactly what awaited her. Days passed beneath the
09:57surface as lookouts searched through periscopes while sonar operators monitored distant propeller noises.
10:03The crew settled into the familiar rhythm of submarine warfare. Hours of patience were interrupted by
10:10moments demanding absolute precision. Every man understood that long stretches of routine could end
10:16instantly with a contact report echoing through the boat. When darkness fell, Tang often became far more
10:23dangerous. Unlike the image many people have of submarines spending most of their time submerged, American
10:30submarines frequently attacked from the surface at night. Batteries lasted longer, higher speeds became possible,
10:36and radar allowed experienced crews to detect enemy ships long before they themselves were spotted.
10:44Under cover of darkness, a submarine riding low in the water presented a remarkably difficult target.
10:50Okane had become particularly skilled at exploiting those advantages. He preferred to maneuver aggressively,
10:57positioning Tang where Japanese lookouts least expected an attack.
11:01Rather than remaining distant, he often closed the range, trusting his crew's training and the
11:06submarine's capabilities. Every approach demanded careful judgment. Closing too quickly risked detection.
11:13Remaining too far away reduced the chance of a successful hit.
11:17Each attack became a calculated balance between opportunity and survival. That confidence did not appear
11:24overnight. It had been earned patrol after patrol, successful engagement after successful engagement.
11:31Every officer knew his station. Every enlisted sailor understood his responsibilities. Commands moved
11:37through the submarine with remarkable efficiency because the crew had repeated them countless times before.
11:44Confidence became one of Tang's greatest strengths. It also carried a hidden danger. Each successful mission
11:50reinforced the belief that difficult situations could always be mastered. Every convoy penetrated,
11:57every escort avoided, every successful escape made the impossible seem increasingly achievable.
12:03Success encouraged commanders to push farther. Farther often meant closer to disaster.
12:08The first major opportunities soon appeared. Japanese shipping emerged against the darkness,
12:15silhouettes barely visible against the horizon. Merchant vessels maintained formation while escort ships
12:21guarded their flanks, unaware that an American submarine had already begun calculating firing solutions.
12:28Inside Tang, there was no shouting and no panic. Every movement followed procedures refined through
12:34months of combat, range, bearing, target speed, course. Small pieces of information flowed together until they
12:43formed a complete picture. O'Kane listened, evaluated, and made his decision. The order was given. Torpedoes left their tubes.
12:51Moments later, the darkness erupted. Columns of water and fire climbed into the night as explosions tore through
12:58Japanese ships. Escorts immediately accelerated, turning toward the suspected firing position,
13:04while searchlights sliced across the sea. Confusion spread rapidly throughout the convoy. Ships altered
13:10course, some attempting to evade additional torpedoes, while others struggled to identify where the attack had
13:16originated. Tang was already moving. Rather than waiting for the enemy to recover, O'Kane repositioned his
13:23submarine to exploit the growing disorder. Japanese commanders often expected a submarine to attack
13:29once before withdrawing. Tang repeatedly challenged those assumptions. As damaged ships drifted and
13:35escorts searched empty stretches of ocean, O'Kane maneuvered for another strike. Again, the calculations began.
13:42Again, torpedoes raced toward their targets. Again, explosions echoed across the water. For the Japanese crews
13:48caught inside the convoy, it became increasingly difficult to understand what they were facing.
13:53Reports suggested attacks from multiple directions. Escorts chased contacts that disappeared before they
13:59could investigate. Precious minutes were spent reacting instead of protecting vulnerable merchant vessels.
14:06Tang's effectiveness came not from reckless aggression, but from disciplined coordination. Radar operators
14:13identified opportunities. Lookouts confirmed visual contacts. The fire control party
14:18continuously updated firing data. Engine room personnel delivered exactly the speed O'Kane required.
14:25Every successful attack depended upon dozens of small actions performed correctly under enormous pressure.
14:32By this stage of the war, American submarines had become devastating, not simply because they
14:38possessed capable weapons, but because their crews had accumulated years of experience. Mistakes that had been
14:45common in 1942 had become rare by late 1944. Commanders understood convoy behavior. Crews trusted their equipment
14:55more than they once had. Communication inside the submarine had become almost instinctive. Experience saved time.
15:04Time saved lives. And lives allowed another attack. Throughout the patrol, Tang continued adding to an already
15:12remarkable combat record. Japanese merchant ships were sunk or left burning while escorts struggled to
15:19regain control of increasingly chaotic situations. Each success represented another interruption to Japan's
15:26shrinking supply network. Inside the submarine, confidence continued to grow. The patrol seemed to
15:33confirm everything Tang's crew already believed about themselves. They were among the very best. If danger appeared,
15:40they would overcome it. If escorts closed in, they would escape. If another convoy emerged, they would
15:47strike again. Yet even the finest submarine crews respected one danger that no amount of experience could
15:54completely eliminate. Enemy destroyers could be anticipated. Aircraft could sometimes be avoided. Depth
16:01charges followed patterns that skilled commanders learned to recognize. But there remained another threat,
16:06far less predictable. Every submariner knew stories of torpedoes that failed to run correctly. Most
16:13malfunctions ended in frustration rather than catastrophe. Some weapons ran too deep. Others missed because of
16:20faulty detonators. Occasionally, a torpedo behaved in ways no crew expected. Those stories lingered in the
16:27background of submarine service, spoken about quietly, acknowledged, and then set aside in favor of the next mission.
16:34Because the mission always came first. As October drew toward its final days, Tang had every reason to
16:42believe she was completing another extraordinary patrol. Her crew had survived dangerous waters. They had
16:48outmaneuvered determined escorts. They had inflicted heavy losses on Japanese shipping. One more attack
16:54remained. It would become the most famous and the last engagement in the history of USS Tang.
17:01The night of October 24, 1944, had already become one of the most successful of USS Tang's entire war.
17:10Hours of careful maneuvering had placed Richard O'Kane exactly where he wanted to be. Japanese shipping
17:16was moving through the Formosa Strait under the protection of escort vessels, but the convoy had already
17:22suffered heavily. Merchant ships had been struck. Escorts were maneuvering aggressively. Searchlights
17:28swept across the darkness, while flashes of gunfire and burning fuel illuminated patches of the sea.
17:33The confusion favored Tang. For experienced submarine commanders, chaos could be just as valuable as
17:41concealment. Every explosion forced enemy officers to make rapid decisions with incomplete information.
17:47Every damaged ship altered the convoy's formation. Escorts searching in one direction often left another
17:54exposed. O'Kane had spent years learning how to exploit those brief moments when confusion spread
18:00faster than accurate reports. Tang remained on the surface. It was a calculated decision. At night,
18:06a submarine running on the surface could move considerably faster than one submerged on batteries. Radar
18:12provided an enormous advantage, allowing American crews to track enemy movements long before they
18:18themselves became visible. As long as darkness remained their ally, speed and initiative belonged to
18:25the submarine. Inside Tang, fatigue had long since given way to concentration. The crew understood they
18:33were nearing the end of a demanding patrol. Every successful attack had increased the danger, but every
18:38success also suggested that one more strike might still be possible. Ahead, another Japanese vessel
18:45presented itself as a target. O'Kane evaluated the situation quickly. The convoy had been disrupted, but not
18:53destroyed. Enemy escorts were still searching. Some ships attempted to regroup while others continued evasive.
19:00Maneuvers. Waiting too long risked losing the opportunity entirely. He decided to attack.
19:07One after another, torpedoes left Tang's forward tubes. The crew waited. Seconds stretched into what
19:14felt like minutes. Then, the familiar reward arrived. Explosions echoed across the water. Another
19:20Japanese ship had been struck. The escort vessels reacted immediately. Searchlights swept wider arcs across
19:27the sea. Engines accelerated. Guns fired into the darkness, hoping to force an unseen attacker beneath
19:33the surface. Yet once again, Tang remained just beyond their reach. O'Kane continued maneuvering. Despite
19:40the danger, he believed another opportunity still existed. One final target remained. The submarine
19:47turned into position as the fire control party completed its calculations. Months of training had
19:53conditioned every man to perform his task, almost automatically. Bearings were confirmed. Range estimates
20:00updated. Target movement calculated. Nothing about the procedure suggested that history was only seconds
20:06away from changing forever. The final torpedo was fired. The weapon entered the water exactly as
20:12expected. At first, everything appeared completely normal. No alarm sounded. No immediate malfunction was
20:20obvious. The torpedo's wake disappeared into the darkness ahead of the submarine. Then, someone noticed
20:26something that should not have been possible. The white trail was no longer extending away from Tang.
20:32Instead, it curved. At first, the change was subtle. Then, unmistakable. Experienced subrunners knew
20:40exactly what they were seeing. The torpedo was no longer running toward its target. It was turning.
20:46O'Kane recognized the danger almost immediately. There was no time to debate what had happened. Only time to
20:52react. He ordered an emergency maneuver, attempting to turn Tang away from the approaching weapon.
20:58A submarine on the surface could maneuver faster than one submerged, but she was still a vessel hundreds
21:03of feet long carrying enormous momentum through the water. Even under full power, direction could not be
21:09changed instantly. The seconds disappeared with terrifying speed. Every man aboard now understood the same
21:17reality. The torpedo was coming back. What the crew was witnessing was known as a circular run. Normally,
21:24a torpedo maintained a steady course toward its assigned target using an internal guidance system
21:29designed to keep it running straight. But mechanical failures could sometimes cause that system to
21:34malfunction. Instead of holding its intended heading, the weapon gradually curved until it completed a wide
21:41circle. If the submarine had already moved well clear of the launch point, such a malfunction might
21:47result only in a wasted torpedo. But Tang had fired at extremely close range during a rapidly evolving
21:53surface engagement. There was almost no distance separating the submarine from the weapon's expanding
21:59circle. Once the torpedo began turning back, there was very little sea room left to escape. The crew could do
22:06nothing except watch events unfold. Witnesses later recalled seeing the wake racing toward them. There
22:12was no enemy gunfire to evade. No destroyer bearing down at full speed. No aircraft diving from above. Only
22:19one of their own weapons closing the distance with frightening certainty. The impact came without warning.
22:25The explosion struck near Tang's after torpedo room. Steel buckled instantly. Compartments flooded with
22:32overwhelming force. Electrical power failed. The violent blast threw men from their stations as seawater
22:39rushed through ruptured sections of the submarine. The carefully organized routines that had governed
22:44every previous attack vanished beneath noise, darkness, and flooding. Within moments, Tang lost control. The
22:53submarine began sinking stern first into the black water of the Formosa Strait. Above the surface, Japanese
23:00ships witnessed the explosion, but could not immediately understand what had happened. Some believed another
23:06vessel had been hit. Others suspected a submarine had finally been destroyed after hours of relentless
23:12attacks. Only the men inside Tang knew the truth. One malfunctioning torpedo had accomplished what repeated
23:19Japanese counterattacks had failed to do. The submarine that had survived depth charges, escorts, aircraft,
23:26and some of the most dangerous waters in the Pacific, was now descending toward the seabed because of a weapon
23:32launched from her own bow. Within minutes, the noise of battle faded above. The sea closed over USS Tang.
23:41One of America's greatest submarines disappeared beneath the surface, carrying most of her crew into darkness.
23:48For the few men still alive inside the wreck, the fight was far from over.
23:53Their battle for survival had only just begun. The explosion that doomed USS Tang lasted only an
24:01instant. Its consequences unfolded over the next several minutes. As seawater poured into the shattered
24:07submarine, electrical systems failed one after another. Lights disappeared into darkness, leaving only emergency
24:14illumination and the sound of rushing water to tell the crew how rapidly the situation was changing.
24:21Compartments that had been carefully organized only moments before became obstacles of twisted steel,
24:27ruptured piping, and rising flood water. Every submariner understood what flooding meant. A submarine
24:35depended on maintaining control over its buoyancy. Once major compartments filled uncontrollably,
24:41the weight of the incoming seawater quickly overwhelmed every effort to keep the boat afloat.
24:46Tang's stern continued dropping. The submarine settled deeper beneath the surface until she finally came
24:53to rest on the floor of the Formosa Strait, roughly 180 feet or about 55 meters below the sea. For
25:00many
25:01aboard, the explosion itself had been fatal. Others survived the initial blast only to find themselves
25:07trapped inside a submarine that could no longer return to the surface. In the darkness, surviving crew
25:14members worked quickly to determine who was still alive and what options remained. Training once again became
25:20their greatest advantage. Although no exercise could truly prepare men for such a situation, every
25:27submariner knew the basic procedures for surviving inside a disabled submarine. The question was whether
25:33those procedures could actually save them. Commander Richard O'Kane had survived the explosion, so had a small number of
25:40other crewmen.
25:40The immediate priorities were clear. Account for survivors. Assess the damage. Determine whether escape
25:47remained possible. The answers came quickly. Tang could not be saved. The only chance lay in abandoning
25:54the submarine itself. Escaping from a sunken submarine was among the most dangerous procedures in naval
26:00service. The pressure outside the hull increased dramatically with depth, and any mistake during the ascent could prove fatal.
26:07Air had to be carefully equalized before hatches could be opened. Every movement required patience,
26:14despite the knowledge that breathable air inside the submarine was becoming increasingly limited.
26:19The surviving crew prepared to use what was officially known as the Momsen lung.
26:25Developed during the interwar years, the device was designed to help submariners escape from disabled boats resting on the seabed.
26:32It recycled part of the wearer's exhaled air while allowing a controlled ascent toward the surface,
26:38reducing some of the dangers posed by rapidly expanding air inside the lungs. Even with such equipment,
26:46survival was far from guaranteed. Conditions inside Tang made the situation even more difficult.
26:52The submarine had suffered catastrophic damage, escape routes were limited, and every delay consumed
26:58precious oxygen. One by one, the surviving men prepared themselves for an ascent unlike anything they
27:05had ever experienced in training. The escape chamber was flooded. Pressure slowly equalized. Finally,
27:12the outer hatch could be opened. Each man faced the same terrifying journey alone.
27:18Pushing upward into darkness, they began rising through more than 180 feet of seawater,
27:23trusting both their equipment and their training to carry them safely to the surface.
27:29The ascent itself demanded discipline. Rising too quickly could cause expanding air inside the body
27:35to inflict fatal injuries. Panic could be equally deadly. The only hope was to remain as calm as possible
27:42while allowing the equipment to function exactly as designed. Not everyone made it. Some men never
27:48escaped the submarine. Others began the ascent, but failed to reach the surface.
27:54When Richard O'Kane finally emerged into the night air, the battle around him had already ended.
28:00Instead of rescue ships flying American flags, Japanese vessels surrounded the area. Searchlights
28:06swept across the water, now focused on survivors rather than an attacking submarine. The war that had
28:13defined Tang's final patrol was over for these men. Another ordeal was just beginning. Japanese sailors
28:19recovered the survivors from the water and took them prisoner. Total, only nine members of Tang's crew
28:27survived the sinking and subsequent escape from the wreck. The remaining crewmen were lost with the submarine.
28:33For O'Kane and the other survivors, the transition from combat to captivity happened almost instantly.
28:39Hours earlier they had been among the Pacific Fleet's most successful submarine crews, actively hunting
28:45Japanese shipping. Now they found themselves disarmed, exhausted, and entirely dependent upon the enemy
28:52they had spent months fighting. The survivors were transported into the Japanese prisoner of war system
28:58where they remained for the rest of the conflict. Like many Allied prisoners captured in the Pacific,
29:04they endured harsh conditions marked by uncertainty, limited food, disease, and isolation from the outside world.
29:12Communication with their families was impossible. For months the United States Navy did not know
29:18precisely what had become of them. Many back home assumed they had died alongside the rest of the crew.
29:24Richard O'Kane would spend the final months of the war as a prisoner, carrying with him the memory of
29:30Tang's last patrol and the knowledge that so many of the men under his command had never escaped the submarine.
29:37When Japan surrendered in August 1945, the surviving crew members were finally liberated.
29:44Their return provided the first complete account of Tang's final moments. Until then, much of what had
29:50happened beneath the waters of the Formosa Strait had remained unknown. Their testimony confirmed an extraordinary
29:57truth. USS Tang had not been overwhelmed by enemy destroyers. She had not been sunk by bombs or depth
30:05charges. One of the most accomplished submarines of the Second World War had been lost to a malfunction
30:11inside one of her own weapons. For the men who survived, freedom came nearly a year after the sinking.
30:17But the memory of that final patrol, and of the shipmates who never returned, remained with them for
30:23the rest of their lives. When the war ended, the surviving crew finally revealed what had happened
30:29to USS Tang. Commander Richard H. O'Kane was awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership, while Tang's
30:36combat record secured her place among the most successful American submarines of World War II.
30:42Although post-war research revised some wartime sinking claims, her impact on Japan's shipping network
30:49remains undeniable. Tang's final patrol also exposed a harsh reality of submarine warfare.
30:56Even after major improvements, torpedoes could still fail in ways no crew could predict or prevent.
31:02That is why USS Tang is still remembered today. Not because she was defeated by a superior enemy, but because
31:09months of extraordinary skill, discipline, and courage were undone in seconds by a single mechanical failure.
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